


Back To Normal

by Lokisgame



Series: To have and to hold [6]
Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Missing Scene, Post-Episode: s02e08 One Breath
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-05
Updated: 2016-12-05
Packaged: 2018-09-06 18:53:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8764942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lokisgame/pseuds/Lokisgame
Summary: He lived on coffee, guilt and sunflower seeds, a steady diet by now, but he felt like eating today.





	

He looked at himself in the mirror, pulling the leather belt through the loops of his jeans, buckling it one hole to the right from the usual. Physical evidence of his state of mind. Until now he didn't notice the sweater hanging loosely from his shoulders, pants feeling lose around the hips, suit jacket looking a size too big.  
He wasn't eating much over the past three months. He lived on coffee, guilt and sunflower seeds, a steady diet by now, but somehow, he felt like eating today. Maybe he'll pick up some sandwiches from the cafeteria and sneak them into her room, to eat with her while she has her dinner. He could bring her a decent meal from the diner, not that hospital crap. Nothing fancy, noodle soup, grilled chicken salad. And dessert, definitely desert, chocolate chip cookies maybe?

On his way to the hospital he picked up the cookies. For the first time in months he felt hungry.

Yet, as he drove through the evening traffic, he realized she probably had a home cooked meal ready and brought to her, after all, her mother and sister were there to take care of her. How could he compete with that?   
For the past months his every dream and waking thought revolved around her. Where she was, was it his fault, would he ever see her again? How would he make it right by her if she came back, how would he welcome her back, how to get her back. How to avenge her... Anger quickly climbed to the surface but he fought it down, thinking there will be time to get to the bottom of what happened over the past three months. Now Scully needed to recover her strength, get back on her feet. Decide what she wants to do next. Will she still want to work on the X-files? Maybe she will go back to teaching at the Academy?  
Last time he saw her, it was brief and felt like a blur. Her mother and sister were there and he had to keep up the appearances, when in reality, all he wanted to do was take her in his arms and never let go. He got her back, she came back, she survived, she was alive and well and she wasn't turning away from him, not yet at least. Melissa was right, he had feelings for her, Scully was exceptional, one of a kind.  
Now when she had some time to think and listen to her family, he grew uneasy. Her mother was kind to him, but nobody said, she wouldn't try to convince her daughter to go back to a safer and steadier line of work. One that would allow her to make the most out of the life she almost lost. 

He made his way though the quiet corridors, paper bag in one hand. Cookies and sandwiches, maybe he could just keep her company tonight. 

Looking through the glass panel in the door, he saw her awake, sitting up in bed and looking out the window, enjoying the orange and purple sunset, an open book abandoned face down in her lap. She was alone, so he knocked softly and let himself in. "Hi."  
"Hi," she replied simply, her skin looking peach pink in the soft, kind light. Soft and kind like her smile.  
"How are you feeling?" He crossed the room to her bed and reached for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.  
"Much better," she assured as he pulled up a chair, "the doctor says he'll release me in a day or two."  
"That's great news," he smiled back. "The Gunmen say hi by the way."  
"Oh, how sweet of them," her tone carried a slight tease. She sometimes felt like the cool girlfriend of the least geeky member of the party. A funny feeling that brought back memories of her rebellious youth. Memories she revisited a few hours ago, when her mother tried to probe her about her future.  
"They want to interview you for the next issue," he laughed, but saw his joke miss the spot.   
Scully didn't mind really. That still was a story for him to tell, but she was pretty sure they helped in more than one way, when Mulder was looking for her. She owed them too, aware of Mulder's past.  
"We'll see what they'll be willing to trade for that," she joked back, keeping her tone light, careful not to burst the calm bubble. Without her mother hovering and Melissa prattling about her new-age theories of spirituality. Lately she could take such ramblings from only one person, and that person sat by her bedside right now, smiling again.  
"Frohike is ready to cook for you," he said, fidgeting with the bag, "we have a standing invitation to poker night, if you're feeling lucky." He tried hard to keep it light, teasing and inconsequential, avoiding the real question in the back of his mind. Will she be willing to stay around long enough, to warm up to the idea of a poker night?  
"Tell him, first Friday I'm free of this place, we're on." Her look was full of mischief and humor and it eased his mind immediately. Her attention turned to the bag he was carrying, probably afraid of another gift. "What have you got there?"  
"Oh, this," he winked at her and reached into it. "I thought I could join you for dinner, but I see no reason why we shouldn't have desert right now, if you want it." He took out the cookies and set them between them.  
"If there's milk in that bag Agent Mulder," she laughed and didn't need to finish the thought. Mulder pulled out a small carton of full fat milk and she handed him her plastic cup to fill.  
"So, what are you reading there, Scully?" He asked casually, holding out the milk for her to dip her cookie first.  
"I don't know really, something Missy left lying around, just killing time, but never mind about that, tell me what you were up to, when I was gone."  
"Nothing much," _besides losing my mind,_ "chasing vampires, getting the X-files back."  
Her eyes widened and her smile made his heart grow three sizes. 

They were back.

A few hours later, he woke up curled up in the foot of Scully's bed, hugging her feet, resting gently on his chest as she shared the sheet with him. He cautiously got up and tucked her back in when she stirred lightly.  
Taking in her sleeping form, so different from the way she slept before, he reached to brush a strand of hair from her face. A faint smile tugged at the corner of her mouth and that smile pulled at his heart. In that moment, he knew, that he was forever bound to her by it's line. 

**Author's Note:**

> Fighting writers block with writing. Send help!


End file.
